Wheel.



NITED "STATES PATNT OFFICE.

SAMUEL FURMIDGE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE FURMIDGE SPRING WHEEL COMPANY, TION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

OF PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA, A CORPORA- WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION Iorming part of Letters Patent No. 691,717, dated January 21, 1902.

Application filed January 17,1901. Serial No. 43,589. (No model) To CtZZ wil/07m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMUEL FURMIDGE, of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to wheels; and it coni braced between broad ian ges extending from the body of the hub; also, by attaching the adjacent spokes to different ends of the hub in a sort of staggered form to serve as props l or retainers for the hub.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation showing my improved wheel. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same, taken approximately through the center. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the rim of the wheel.

In the construction of my improved wheel I provide a rigid rim, consisting of the felly l, preferably of wood, and the metallic tire 2. The sides of the felly are inclosed by the metallic plates 3, which add greaterstrength to the rim of the wheel.

4 indicates the hub of the wheel, which is of any desired length and is provided near each end with two flanges 5,between which are formed grooves or recesses for the reception of the ends of the spokes.

The spokes 6 of the wheel are constructed of spring metal and are formed in any desired shape, and their innerl ends are pivoted between the flanges 5, yand their outer ends are connected to the rim of the wheel. The

As shown in Fig. l, the springs are its lower end attached to the lower part of the wheel directly below the hub, has its upper end attached to the hub above a line drawn horizontally through the center of the hub. By this arrangement the hub may be said to be suspended and not upheld from below, since the springs, which have their inner ends secured to the hub on their under side, have their outer ends secured to the rimy of the wheel above the hub. This permits the hub to have a certain backward-and-forward movement, which it would not have were the chords of the yarcuate springs of less length than the radius of the wheel. same time the wheel is possessed of great strength, and the hub will assume its normal position after the obstruction which causedthe oscillation has been passed over. Furthermore, as may Abe seen by referring to Fig. l, the flanges 5 project beyond the surface of the hub, and the inner ends of the spokes fit closely between these flanges. The flanges extend out a sufficient distance to give side bearing to the spokes and firmly brace them in the required plane, so that the hub does not aud cannot move laterally, as would occur were the spokes not so braced. In'other words, the end of each spoke extends a sufficient distance between the fianges to obtain side support, whereby it willbe positively held in position before it reaches the pin by which it is held. The necessity of attaching the spokes to the hub on the side opposite from that on which they are attached to the rim of the wheel arises from the fact that a spring-spoke of this character must have little bend and yet be as long as possible in order to give the proper resiliency; also, the spring At the l IOO must be au unbroken curve in order to make it equally resilient at all points throughout its length. I have found from practical eX- perience that a spoke attached to the hub on the same side on which it is attached to the rim of the wheel does not bend equally throughout its length when subjected to pressure, and for this reason I have constructed the spokes as above described and fasten them totheoppositesideofthehub. Furthermore, a direct line of resistance exists between the ends of the upper spokes, so that the hub is always suspended when under pressure and meets with no resistance from its under side to the lower part of the rim, for the reason that the upper spokes suspend from the upper part of the rim to the lower side of the hub and the lower spokes from the upper side of the hub to the lower side of the rim. Ihave found by experiment that a wheel of this character is thoroughly practicable and is subject to none of the objections urged against those wheels having spring-spokes of ordinary construction, and on this feature I desire to be protected. The adjacent pairs of spokes are connected to different ends of the hub, thereby preventing the hub from any lateral movement. This feature is best shown in Fig. 2, wherein it may be seen that there are two flanges 5 near each end of the hub, making four fianges in all. These flanges project beyond'the surface of the hub and are broad enough to give side bearing to the spokes and thereby brace the hub against lateral movement, as above explained. Half of the spokes are attached to each end of the hub, and the adjacent spokes, as stated, are connected to different ends, thereby giving additional strength againstlateral movement, which must be guarded against to render a wheel of this character practicable. Furthermore, it may be seen that the spokes 6 are of iiat sheet metal bent into the form described and adapted to bend only in the plane of the tire of the wheel. In other words, the spokes are Hat and bend only in the planes of their chords and are inliexible laterally to assist in retaining the hub in the required position relative to the rim and preventit from side movement. Hence it may be seen that the spokes being flexible only in one direction cooperate with the {ianges 5 to brace the hub in its required central position.

I am aware that Wheels having round springspokes have heretofore been constructed; but

they have all been mor-e or less subject to the objection of the lateral movement of the hub and to that degree impracticable, and a means to effectively overcome that objection constitutes one of the main features of my invention.

A wheel constructed in accordance with my invention may be of any desired size, and, as above stated, the spokes may be in any form so long as they are resilient and will hold the hub in the required position. The Wheel may be made of greatenstrength by increasing the e" `tlkof the spokes which thickness and str n are used. I have shown andldescribed one form of spring; but it is manifest that the same principle will be involved in using any yielding connection between the hub and the rim, and I do not desire to limit myself to the specific construction shown and described.

I claim- `l. The improved wheel, having a rim consisting of the Wooden [elly l, metallic tire 2 and the side plates 3, one on each side of the felly, an integral elongated .hub having two iianges 5 near each end and extending beyond the surface of the hub to form deep grooves or recesses, and the liat bow-spring spokes 6 having their inner ends attached to the hub within the grooves or recesses formed by the said flanges 5 and their outer ends attached tothe rim, the adjacent spokes being attached to opposite ends of the hub to prevent it from moving laterally relative to the rim, substantially as specified.

2. The improved wheel, consisting of an inexible rim, an elongated integral hub having two lianges near each end extending beyond the surface of the hub to form grooves, iiat laterally-inliexible bow-spring spokes having their inner ends attached to the hub between the flanges and extending between the Iianges tangentially to the body of the hub, the inner ends of the adjacent spokes being attached to different ends of the hub to prevent it from moving laterally relative to the rim, and the outer ends of the spokes being pivotally connected to the rim.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL FURMIDGE.

Vi tnesses:

EDWARD E. LONGAN, ALFRED A. EIcKs.

IOT) 

